Hi XXXXXXX

Thanks for the query.

You have mentioned that your wife has childhood seizures. And she has remained symptoms free from 2005 till 2009 without medications. And recurrence of seizures recently.

Epilepsy is a disorder of abnormal electrical impulse generation which can lead to involuntary activity called fits. There are multiple medications which are available to control fits. Some of the medications are to used specifically for one particular type of fits and there are some which can be used for multiple types of fits too.

Now, Oxitol (Carbamazepine) is a good anti-fits medications. Its specifically indicated for Complex Partial Type of Seizures.

First we should know what type of seizures your wife has. The most common type is Generalized Tonic Clonic Type (GTCS). Such seizures are better controlled with Sodium Valproate.

Also, some times, fits become refractory and require multiple combination of medications.

At this stage, you need to do three things.
1. Make sure, your wife is taking medicines regularly and not missing any dose.

2. Get a MRI Brain and EEG done. This will help to know if there is focal lesion in the brain causing seizures. Some patients have one focus of abnormal brain tissue from where, the seizures are arising and it sows up in MRI. Such patients can be cured by surgical resection of such focus.

3. If the above are not present, she will need further combination of medicines to make sure that seizures are brought under control. Unfortunately, no test can show whether fits will occur or not. If a patient is having fits on medicines, this means, she will need modification of medication or increasing the dose.

And since she has a childhood history of sits and its recurred after a gap of 5 years, its likely that, this time doctors will advice medicine to be taken continuously

Hope this answers your query.

Please get back if you need any further information

Regards

Dr Kiran

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